SE Asia Travel Part 1

By Noel

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Since I’m still in vacation mode, just sipping my fresh hot coffee in my office at home, I would like to share Part 1 of my latest travel adventure with my family, and hopefully, you will gain some pointers about the places we visited.

First and foremost, it was a successful Asian trip cruise line vacation. A great “Experience,” so to speak. There are some disappointments and struggles with other cruise line passengers (which I blame primarily on the cruise line staff), but overall, it’s a must-try bucket list for all of us who want to experience different culture, ethnicity, traditions, heritage, and yes Food, lots of Food.

My sister-in-law brought up this vacation idea during one of our family gatherings. It was my wife who planned our cruise vacation, along with a travel agent who my sister-in-law recommended. I was just an accessory to the fact, and all I did was comply with what my wife was telling me, and all I did was say Yay or Nay. It seems daunting, but our travel agent did most of the leg work.

Starting on Nov 23. My wife and I traveled to Nonoy Aquino International Airport in Manila. Upon arrival (we arrived at the airport on Nov 25 at about 6:30 AM), I couldn’t help but notice some changes at the airport.

The biggest departure from past visits was the exit from the Immigration and Customs. Customs personnel usually open your luggage to see what they can discover and maybe scam you, but to no avail this trip. I didn’t see any of that; surprisingly, it was an easy and efficient process. No significant delays were experienced leaving Philippine Immigration and Customs.

Exiting the Airport and Transportation to Hotels.

Please check the Philippine exchange rate before US departure so that you are aware of the current rates. To ensure you have sufficient money to get to your hotel, I recommend exchanging your US dollar for Philippine pesos before exiting the airport as public transportation and taxis do not accept credit cards; they are cash only and in local currency.  

Exchanging US currency is possible elsewhere in Manila, and the hotels will be more expensive than the rates available at the airport. Usually, from my experience arriving at the airport, you are greeted by people who want your business for car or van transport and sometimes take advantage of you regarding non-metered taxicab rides. However, airport officials have cleaned up their act. I didn’t see any of that this trip. 

Transportation to and from the airport can be tricky as there are several ways to do this. You can arrange the pickup with the hotel when booking accommodation, well in advance, or take a taxi service (because you forgot to make the arrangement). In my case, I chose the latter; I took a taxi, which consists of the airport yellow cab and the public white cab (who usually don’t follow a map application to find the quickest route). I highly recommend taking the yellow taxis as they are the safest and most legitimate and have guidance and processes controlled by the airport officials. 

We stayed three days in the Greenbelt area, the city of Makati.

One benefit that I have accumulated in the past year is my reward points from my IHG hotel account. My wife and I stayed at the Holiday Inn and Suites, Makati. Using the rewards points, we were given an upgraded suite, and our lodging was covered by our points and status with this hotel group. The customer service here is top-notch, and the complimentary breakfast buffet is fantastic. The Philippine hospitality shown here is the best in the business. Holiday Inn and Suites is a 5-star deluxe hotel in the Makati Central Business and Entertainment district.

Glorietta Shopping Mall is attached to the hotel, and you are in the middle of the vibrant and busy local attractions, businesses, and financial hubs.

My wife and I spent time relaxing on the rooftop of the Fairmont Hotel one night, overlooking the bustling city.

I highly recommend having a romantic evening at the Mistral Rooftop Bar. You won’t be disappointed.  

Makati Greenbelt has no shortage of beautiful outdoor spaces to walk and malls to shop. There are 5 Greenbelt spaces, each with their unique shops, restaurants, and cafes.

• Easily walkable

• Safe during the daytime and into the evening

• Wide variety of food and drink options

Conrad Hotel Stay

My wife and I picked up my daughter Michelle, her husband Chuck, and my son, Jonathan, at the airport on the 28th. We all stayed at a luxurious Conrad Hotel near Manila Bay connected to the Mall of Asia. Talking about balling, swanky, splurge, or another slang word you can think of, Conrad Hotel is just that.

 I was pleased to meet the former Philippine First Lady, Imelda Marcos. Let me tell you, it was surreal. My wife and I sat at the bar overlooking Manila Bay in Conrad, listening to the jazz band playing. It was probably 9 pm when a group or entourage entered the lounge. At first, we ignored them as I couldn’t help but notice Imelda in her wheelchair and her famous hairdo style, plus the familiar face.

When they pushed her next to us, the assistant asked if she wanted to sit by where we were. She looked at me first, smiled, and then looked at my wife and said, no, and instead, she said, “We can sit right next to them.” 

 My wife briefly asked me quietly, “Is that Imelda Marcos? Is she still alive”? My wife immediately started looking at Wikipedia about her and all the goodies she had. LOL! She indiscreetly took a picture of her. In the meantime, I couldn’t help but notice that two of his security guards with sidearms kept looking at me, checking me out. LOL!

Knowing we were about to be done, my wife and I closed our bar tabs. Imelda looked at us as we stood up, and it was a great moment...meeting this famous person was one of my life-long memorable experiences. 

The Conrad Hotel is adjacent to the Mall of Asia, offering shopping and dining of all kinds. When you're worn out from shopping you can relax in the amazing pool back at the Conrad.

Conrad Hotel Manila...

• Luxury brand hotel at an affordable price in Manila

• Full-Service; helpful concierge

• Breakfast Buffet with a large variety of global food offerings

• Potential random sightings of famous people

My favorite: turndown service leaving this little gift...

Next is our Boarding process with our ship, the Norwegian Cruise Line, to be continued on my next Travel blog. Part II.